Institutional structure for char people urgent

The government should form a particular institutional structure for char people to properly use budget allocated to them, experts said yesterday.

A big amount of budget is allocated for development of char people, but almost the entire budget remains useless due to a lack of an institution, they told a dialogue.

Unnayan Shamannay, a non-governmental research organisation, in association with Oxfam, organised the dialogue at Biam auditorium in Dhaka.

They also demanded building enough infrastructures like roads, solar power generators and cold storages in char areas and ensuring fair price for the crops produced by char farmers.

National Char Alliance Chairman Khondkar Ibrahim Khaled said, “After our long efforts, the current finance minister allocated a budget of Tk 50 crore for the chars few years ago. But it was not used due to a lack of an institutional structure.”

About Tk 200 crore has also been allocated this fiscal year which will remain the same. The government should form a particular body such as Char Development Foundation or Board to use the budget, he said.

This institution would be financed by the government, but it should be operated independently, said Ibrahim Khaled, former deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank.

Former BB governor and Unnayan Shamannay Chairman Dr Atiur Rahman said, “We need support from all to form an institutional structure, and I am  trying to do so.”

Speaking as the chief guest, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Narayon Chandra Chanda said the government will take separate projects to solve the farmers' problems.

About ensuring crops' fair price, he urged the private sector to restrain middlemen.

State Minister for Finance MA Mannan, lawmaker Faridul Haque Khan Dulal and ACI Group Chairman M Anis Ud Dowla also spoke.